Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-04-28
Among RattIesnakes.

NlluktS, EuIl ltlt Hdlllt nltA alNNI
he had smoked pipe, "but / can re-
late some experiences to make your
hair stand up. Asa woodsman didn't
mind meeting with rattler now and
then, and I've got up in the morning
to shake 'em off my blankets, hut there
was one time when was really broken
up. II was on the Upper Pecos river,
New Mexico, before the war. was in
the mountains to the north Of where
Fort Sumner now stands. There was
sort of trading-post there then, and
about company of soldiers were sta
toned there. When you talk about
rattlesnakes you want to go to New
Mexico to find the biggest, sassiest, and
hardest bitter in the lot. He is always
ready for a row, and it's immaterial to
him whether he rattles before he strikes
or waits ten minutes afterward. Some
rattlers will crawl away from you
sooner than have a row, but these New
Mexico felIers won't bulge until they
are whipped.
81 was sort of prospecting and hunt
ing together, and it was midsummer.
l had toggled up sort of shanty to
keep the weather out, and was getting
along as well as could be expected when
| began to notice an Increase in the
number of rattlers. I'd come across
one every hour or two, instead of one
in two days, and had several narrow
escapes from being bitten. 1t struck
me that they were also unusually sassy,
but | went on with my work and didn't
get too much upset. | had made my
shanty against q sort of cave in the side
of u rocky hill, and the fire by which l
cooked my fodder and warmed myself
was at the door-a leetle inside of it,
perhaps. On the evening of which L
am writing, in particular, the weather
changed cold, and built an unusually
hot fire to keep the chills off. My bed
was crossways of the shanty, and
nearer the fire than the back end.
When lay down it was with my face
to the fire, and l had q heavy Indian
blanket covering me from head to heels.
| went to sleep directly, and reckon l
should have put in the whole night
without o break if something hadn't
wriggLd over me and woke me up.
~ didn't fling off the blankets and
rouse up because had banished sleep.
Your old woodsman learns better than
that after his first years experience. !
lay there wondering what had aroused
me, and feeling some anxiety for fear a
bear had scented me out, when there
was another wriggle, and then got a
pointer. A hiss or two warned me of
the nature of my visitors, and as soon
as my eyes got bit used to the semi
darkness [ got shock to take my
breath away. The fire had burned
down to a bed of Goals, but between me
and it could make out dozen wrig-
Cling objects, and I knew they were
snakes. They had crept out of the
rocks behind me, attracted by the light
and warmth, and every one must have
run over my body. The space was get
ting crowded, and the presence of the
last comers was APPARENTLY objected to.
About the time got it through my
head what was going on brand fell
down and made q little blaze, and by
this increased light I counted IL old
rattlers between me and the fire. A
few were coiled up and apparently TAX
ing solid comfort but Others were run.
ming about in frisky way and now and
then coiling around each other.
GAS told you, 1 was covered clean
up except my head, and I'd have cover.
ed that up mighty quick If l had dared
to move as much. as a finger. There
was only one way to get out of the
shanty, and so long as the snakes held
that I must remain quiet. [ shut my
ewes and tried to keep my mind on some
thing else, but in less than five minutes
was sweating like a trotting horse,
and it required all my nerve to keep
from springing up. I could stand the
situation better with my eyes open,
and pretty soon was considerable en-
couraged by seeing most of the snakes
curl up close othe fire and go to sleep
There were two big fellows, however
who seemed determined to have it out,
and when they got the floor to them
selves thew went at it to kill. In their
struggle they twice brushed my face,
and twice one of them chased the other
over my body One of them was
finally crowded into the fire, and he
threw up the sponge and ran out doors.
The victor curled himself up, and fol
the next two hours not snake moved.
/ might, perhaps, have rolled myself to
the back end of the shanty, but that
would not have bettered the situation.
When the snakes moved it would be
toward their quarters in the rocks, and
if stood in their way, it would be all
day with me. Icould see the starlight
sky over the smouldering fire, and you
can guess how anxiously I watched for
the coming of day. 1t was fully two
hours before daylight came. The fire
had by this time died almost out, and
the snakes had begun to grow uneasy.
One after another uncoiled himself and
crept lazily about, but not one made
the least move to retreat over my body
or go out by the front way.
II was suffering thousand torments
from having lain so long in one posi-
tion, but / dared not move even a fin
ger. The sweat trickled into my eyes
and hardly dared to wink. 1t had
been daylight three-quarters of an hour
when felt that had got to make a
move, even if it was into the jaws of
death. My only show was to roll over
toward the back of the shanty and
make grab for my gun. If there
were any snakes curled up back of me
was goner. If those in front were
not frightened by the discharge of the
gun would surely get bitten. l had
| Just drawn full breath to make ready
| for the move, when every snake sud.
denly slipped out by the front way and
whIsked out of sight. You can guess
l wasn't long getting hold Of my gun
and as soon as could get the numb
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